A router is a commonly available piece of power equipment which is used for cutting precise edges and grooves in a workpiece. Although there are guide mechanisms known in the prior art which permit a straight cut or groove to be made in a workpiece, problems arise when one is faced with the task of making a plurality of identical grooves in parallel along the length of a workpiece or an array of identically positioned grooves in a sequence of workpieces. In a typical straight line cutting guide, the workpiece is clamped securely to the guide and the required cut is made. In order to make additional cuts parallel to the first the workpiece must be loosened within the guide for each cut and must be manually measured, marked, and repositioned, in order to line up properly with the preceding cut. This procedure is time consuming and subject to operator error as each cut is essentially a distinct operation. The opportunity exists for cumulative error to be introduced, which results in non-parallel or irregular spacing.
Several U.S. patents have issued which offer guides for routers. Most of these prior art devices lack the necessary flexibility, adaptability, and variety of applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,824, issued on Mar. 6, 1984, to P. D. Bussey shows a router guide for a router that has a first and second spaced apart end supports that are adapted to be removably positioned on spaced-apart supporting surfaces. The router track comprises an elongated spaced-apart angle member that is adapted to receive and support the router base. The angle members are spaced apart to define an elongated opening extending therebetween and adapted to receive the power shaft of the router which extends downwardly therethrough. The support members are selectively vertically and horizontally mounted on the end supports. The router track may be selectively moved between the end supports and the router may be selectively moved between the ends of the router track.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,694, issued on Aug. 4, 1981, to T. E. Gorman, describes a power tool cutting guide for making plural parallel cuts or arcuate cuts in a workpiece. This device has a member which is rotatable within the circular track of a frame. This member can be fixed in any angular orientation relative to the workpiece. A guide assembly is joined to this rotatable member on which the tool support plate can slide between positionable stops. This device utilizes a ratchet arm with an attached pawl which engages the serrations in a rack so as to incrementally move a workpiece along a fence. The guide of this device includes a spring-urged retention ar which holds the workpiece firmly against the face during cutting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,657, issued on Dec. 23, 1986, to G. Obradovich discloses a router guide apparatus that comprises a pair of side rails and a pair of headpieces. The headpieces may be releasably secured together so as to form a "modified box type" router guide. When so secured, the guide may be clamped to a workpiece between the headpieces and a router moved in the guide to form transverse dadoes or cuts therein. Bridges are provided that may be temporarily fixed across the rails at strategic places therealong. The router is releasably positioned within the guide and may be moved longitudinally along the workpiece to make longitudinal cuts or grooves therein. The device may be pivoted so as to make arcuate cuts or grooves in the workpiece as well as straight radial grooves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,731, issued on Aug. 5, 1980, to D. E. Maynard discloses a router guide assembly that includes a suitable fence for supporting and locating a workpiece. Hold-down bars and guide bars are secured to a mounting bar and are movable so that the hold-down bars lie across the workpiece. A carriage is movably mounted on the guide bars and is arranged to carry a router across the workpiece so that the workpiece can be routed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,383, issued on May 22, 1979, to E. V. Welliver provides an accessory for an electric router that facilitates the edging, trimming, and groove cutting on small workpieces. The accessory features a two tier construction such that the router is vertically mounted on the upper tier. The upper tier is vertically movable with respect to the lower tier to accommodate the workpiece therebetween. The upper tier is a pair of parallel guide rails along which the router may be slidably moved through the workpiece. Alternatively, the router may be securely clamped to the guide rails and the workpiece pushed along the work table through the router bit by a safety tool.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a router box jig that facilitates the task of woodworking.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a router jig that is suitable for allowing horizontal and vertical cuts about any face of a piece of wood.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a router jig that allows the fixed positioning of the workpiece or the sliding of the workpiece through the jig.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a router jig that is easy to operate and inexpensive for the home woodworker.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.